1991-2020: Mamba Security and the security crises in Congo Zaire

Historical context: On two occasions, in 1991 and 1993, looting took place in Kinshasa and in the other main towns of the country. On September 23, 1991, riots were triggered in Kinshasa by certain soldiers who protested against their salary conditions. The civilian population joins the protest movement to ransack and loot both private and public property. The riots and looting then spread to other major cities in Zaire. Result: dozens of dead, hundreds of injured and a ruined economy. On January 28, 1993, the crisis began with the payment of soldiers with new notes of 5 million zaires, notes refused by traders. Furious, the soldiers of the Zairian armed forces (FAZ) looted the entire capital. They are joined by the civilian population and the Special Presidential Division. Looting extends to other major cities in the country. There are nearly 2,000 dead. On Thursday, January 28, 1993, Philippe Bernard, French ambassador to Zaire, was killed by a stray bullet at the window of his embassy office in Kinshasa. Zaire was then emptied of its largest European community which still lived there.

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MAMBA SECURITY IN ACTION :

• Evacuation of people by armored vehicles;
• Securing the facilities by increasing the workforce;
• Implementation of the evacuation plan for the private individuals and companies concerned;
• Gathering of people in secure places.

Historical context: In October 1996, the AFDL rebellion, led by Laurent-Désiré Kabila, began a conquest of Zaire from Kivu. Seven months later, AFDL troops approach the city of Kinshasa. There are fears of a clash in the capital between rebels and forces loyal to the former Mobutu regime. Finally, the AFDL forces entered Kinshasa without a fight on May 17, 1997. They were soon joined by Laurent-Désiré Kabila, who proclaimed himself president of the country. Zaire is renamed "Democratic Republic of Congo".

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MAMBA SECURITY IN ACTION :

• Securing the facilities by increasing the workforce;
• Gathering of people in secure places.

Historical context: On April 18, 2000 around 12 noon, a tremendous explosion was heard in Kinshasa from the international airport of Ndjili. According to witnesses, a military plane hit a tanker on takeoff. The accident spread the fire to a depot of grenades and shells which exploded. For several hours, the ammunition continued to crackle under the eyes of President Laurent-Désiré Kabila. The explosion and the fire killed more than 100 people and injured hundreds.

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MAMBA SECURITY IN ACTION :

• Voluntary relief;
• Evacuation of persons and wounded by vehicle;
• Support and logistical support at Ndjili airport during the fire;;

Historical context : Sunday, August 20, 2006. Father Apollinaire Malu Malu, President of the Independent Electoral Commission, announced in the evening the results of the first round of the presidential election held on July 30, 2006. President Joseph Kabila and the vice- President Jean-Pierre Bemba are allowed to stand in the second round on October 29. In the evening, riots with gunfire took place in downtown Kinshasa. The next day, Monday, August 21 around 3 p.m., the residence of Jean-Pierre Bemba was bombarded by Kabila's presidential guard. For 2 days, supporters of Joseph Kabila and those of Bemba clash with heavy weapons in the streets of the city center of the Congolese capital. The European force (Eufor) must intervene to exfiltrate diplomats. The human toll amounts to a few dozen deaths. The two camps end up signing an agreement to withdraw their troops from the center of the capital, which puts an end to hostilities. On November 27, 2006, the Supreme Court of Justice confirmed the results published on November 15 by the Independent Electoral Commission and proclaimed Joseph Kabila winner of the presidential election. The following year, on Thursday, March 22, 2007, there were again new clashes between the Republican Guard of President Joseph Kabila and the troops of JP Bemba. The power decided to dissolve the personal guard of JP Bemba by incorporating into the regular army the 100 or so men who compose it. Bemba refuses in the name of preserving his security. Then follow urban clashes with light weapons but also heavy weapon fire such as rockets and mortars. The fighting is confined to downtown Kinshasa in Gombe. There are scenes of panic in the streets and children are consigned to schools. The clashes continued the following day, Friday March 23, 2007, before Jean-Pierre Bemba called for a ceasefire at the end of the afternoon. The fighting caused a lot of collateral damage, including within foreign representations in Kinshasa such as the embassies of Spain, Greece and the offices of Unicef. The clashes are said to have caused between 200 and 500 deaths, mainly among civilians.

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MAMBA SÉCURITÉ EN ACTION :

• Evacuation and regrouping of people by armored vehicles;
• Securing the facilities by increasing the workforce;
• Evacuation of the wounded & s of our subscribers to the hospital center;
• Permanent control of residences and companies by our Operations Center.

Historical context: Tension is growing in the DRC on the eve of November 28, 2011, the day of the 2011 presidential election by first-past-the-post. Outgoing President, Joseph Kabila confronts the historical opponent Étienne Tshisekedi of the UDPS. Already, street fights have broken out between activists from different parties, with stones or feet. The police and the army intervene and we already deplore deaths and injuries. 3,000 people leave Kinshasa for Brazzaville, for fear of post-election violence. Even before the announcement of the results, some chancelleries fear a drift towards civil war. On December 16, 2011, the Supreme Court of Justice proclaimed Joseph Kabila re-elected at 48.9% against Étienne Tshisekedi, 32.3%. Immediately, Etienne Tshisekedi disputes the verdict and proclaims himself President of the Republic. His supporters are stepping up demonstrations to protest across the country. Police repression caused many deaths during the month of December 2011.

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MAMBA SECURITY IN ACTION :

• Reinforcement of our subscribers' facilities;
• Frequent night patrols;
• Development of security reports by informing our subscribers through the networks;
• Permanent control of residences and companies by our Operations Center.

Historical context: On November 13, 2017, the warehouse rented to the Trans-Import company was engulfed in flames in the Onatra port of the SCPT in Kinshasa. The fire is spectacular and is visible from far away in the Kinshasa night sky.

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MAMBA SECURITY IN ACTION :

• Deployment of our team and our fire-fighting vehicle;
• Provision of our tank truck for water supply;
• Action on the site in collaboration with the firefighters.

Historical context: On August 8, 2018, Joseph Kabila publicly announced that he would not be a presidential candidate, which would finally be held on December 30, 2018. The elections were postponed for 2 years during which several opposition demonstrations degenerated into attempts of looting suppressed by the police. The official campaign period was marked by violent clashes between supporters of different parties as well as crackdowns on rallies of the two main opposition candidates. Large-scale ethnic violence erupts in Yumbi, in Mai-Ndombe, killing at least 150 people. It is in a climate of high tension that the CENI publishes official presidential results on January 9, 2019. Félix Tshisekedi (38%) is ahead of Martin Fayulu (35%) and Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary (23%). The investiture of Félix Tshisekedi takes place on January 12, 2019. He thus becomes the fifth president of the country and the first to gain power through a peaceful alternation. Immediately, Martin Fayulu's supporters strongly disputed the results.

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MAMBA SECURITY IN ACTION :

• Reinforcement of our subscribers' facilities;
• Frequent night patrols;
• Development of security reports by informing our subscribers through the networks;
• Permanent control of residences and companies by our Operations Center